Société des Missions Africaines –Province d'Irlande

né le 3 mars 1912 à Townalough dans l'archidiocèse de Tuam, Irlande membre de la SMA le 29 juin 1938 prêtre le 14 décembre 1941 évêque le 8 février 1859 décédé le 4 janvier 1989

1942-1943 Wilton, études supérieures 1943-1952 missionnaire au Nigeria 1950-1952 1943-1950, vicariat de Lagos 1950-1952, archidiocèse de Lagos 1952-1953 collège de Ballinafad, recteur 1953-1958 Ibadan, préfet apostolique 1959-1974 évêque d'Ibadan 1974-1989 Knock, retiré décédé à Galway, Irlande, le 4 janvier 1989, à l'âge de 76 ans

Richard Finn was born in Townalough, Claremorris, Co Mayo, in the archdiocese of Tuam, on 3 March 1912. He died unexpectedly, after a short illness, in the Regional hospital, Galway, on 4 January 1989.

Richard (Dick) studied at the Sacred Heart college, Ballinafad, Co Mayo (193l 1932) and St. Joseph's college, Wilton, Cork (1932 1936), before entering the Society's novitiate and house of philosophy, at Kilcolgan, Co Galway, in the autumn of 1936. He studied theology in the Society's seminary at Dromantine, Co Down, between 1938 1942. During his last year in Wilton he had taken lectures in the arts faculty at U.C.C. While in Kilcolgan he attended U.C.G. (going to the college one day each week and receiving the remainder of his lectures in the house from Tony McAndrew, designated by the university for this purpose). He graduated with a B.A. degree in education and philosophy in 1938. Richard was admitted to membership of the Society on 29 June of the same year and was ordained a priest, along with nine colleagues, at St. Colman's cathedral, Newry, Co Down, during the darkest days of the war, on 14 December 1941. The ordaining prelate was Bishop Edward Mulhern of Dromore diocese.

After ordination Richard returned to Dromantine to complete his theological formation. He was then appointed to Nigeria, but unable to travel because of the war, Richard studied for a higher diploma in education at U.C.C. while awaiting a passage to West Africa. He received his diploma in June 1942. Finally, with many other missionary priests, brothers and sisters, he was able to get a place on a shipping convoy and travel out in November 1943. He was immediately appointed to St. Gregory's college, Lagos, the first Catholic secondary school founded in Nigeria (1928), and the pride and joy of successive bishops of Lagos (one of whom, Leo Hale Taylor, was its founder). He was clearly a successful teacher and a good administrator, because after only five years Richard was promoted to be principal of another of the foundation stones of the missionary effort, St. Leo's teacher training college, Abeokuta.

In 1952 Richard was re assigned to Ireland, appointed principal of the Society's apostolic school at Ballinafad. It was here, a year later, that he received news of his nomination as prefect apostolic of Ibadan, a new ecclesiastical jurisdiction in south western Nigeria. Five years later, in 1958, the prefecture was erected as a diocese and Richard was named bishop. He was consecrated in Ibadan, by Archbishop Taylor, in February 1959. The preacher at the Mass was Michael Browne, bishop of Galway, who was a close friend.

Richard's appointment to Ibadan coincided with an era of great opportunity for the Church in Nigeria. In the aftermath of the world war greater government resources were being made available for the development of secondary schools, colleges and hospitals. Large numbers of young people who had received primary education in the mission schools were now clamouring for post primary education. The pioneering work of the early missionaries in towns and villages was now beginning to bear fruit in the emergence of vibrant Church communities seeking leadership and stimulation, and most anxious to participate in all aspects of Church life. Richard and his missionary personnel in Ibadan made the most of these opportunities, and the twenty one years during which he remained at the helm was a period of extraordinary growth.

It was a time when high quality secondary schools were established, such as Loyola college [Ibadan], St. Patrick's college [Ibadan], St. Louis college [Ibadan], Maryway college [Moore Plantation, Ibadan], Fatima college [Ikire], St. Mary's [Iwo]; when hospitals were built, at Oke Offa and Eleta and at Ikire; when new parishes were opened, including a ring of parishes on the perimeter of the city, and fine new churches and chapels put in place; when new religious institutes were introduced to engage in the educational and medical apostolate, including the Sisters of St. Louis, Medical Missionaries of Mary, Sisters of St. Peter Claver, the Eucharistic Heart Sisters, Dominicans (priests and brothers), and Opus Dei. In tune with the spirit of the Vatican Council, which he attended, Richard set up a lay apostolate centre in Ibadan. He also established a pastoral centre with its own printing press and bookshop, founded with the aid of the St. Peter Claver Sisters.

In addition, novitiates for O.L.A. and M.M.M. Sisterhoods were encouraged, and a Dominican novitiate and study centre was built. During his tenure as prefect, and in large measure due to his industry, the project of the hierarchy to transfer the major seminary (serving dioceses throughout the south, west and north of Nigeria) from Benin city to Ibadan, was accomplished in 1956. Another important project undertaken by Richard was the founding of a Catholic newspaper, the Independent. For this he obtained the expert services of Pat O'Neill (who came from the Ghana mission) as editor. Richard was also farseeing in acquiring land outside the city bounds in areas which, in due course, would become highly populated. Richard had a genial disposition but he was also a shrewd judge of situations and people. His pastoral policy was based on a sound appreciation of what was possible in the Nigeria of his time. He was well-liked by those who worked under him and was known to be particularly kind to missionaries who were experiencing difficulties.

In July 1974, Richard persuaded Rome that the time had come for a Nigerian bishop to succeed him. His successor in the diocese of Ibadan was to be Bishop Felix Alaba Job, who became Archbishop when Ibadan became a metropolitan see in 1994. After leaving Africa Richard retired to his beloved Mayo, going to live in Knock where he spent each day ministering to the pilgrims who flocked to Our Lady's shrine. Thus he was to remain active in the apostolate up to the time of his unexpected death.

He is buried in Wilton cemetery.